By Robert Hudson

The Selma Times-Journal

The state’s lieutenant governor dropped by Judson College to talk about the role faith has played in her career and life.

Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey served as the guest speaker for Judson College’s Chapel Worship Tuesday afternoon at Ramsay-McCrummen Chapel on the Judson campus.

Ivey said she told the students about her role as lieutenant governor and the life choices they’ll have to make.

“I responded to their (Judson) request to bring a message about what it was like to be lieutenant governor and what role my faith played in my service as lieutenant governor and some career choice decisions and how those were made,” Ivey said. “So, I tried to be relevant to these young people knowing that they’ve got some great decisions to make in their lives, both spiritually and career wise as well.”

Ivey also emphasized to the students the important part that Christ will play in their lives.

“Belief in Jesus Christ as lord and savior for me is essential for a person to be fulfilled and to find what you’re supposed to do in life,” Ivey said. “When you know that you’re doing his will … and you’re fulfilling that will, that’s special. I have that sense in serving in public service.”

Ivey, who’s spoken at Judson on previous occasions, said she enjoyed coming back.
“It’s always good to come back to Judson,” Ivey said. “I enjoy working with this faculty, Dr. Potts (David Potts, president of Judson) and the young people here who are going to become leaders, so it’s always a joy to come back.”

Students were impressed with the message Ivey delivered.

“She was interesting,” said Sarah Kendrick, a senior at Judson. “It was inspirational to see a woman … who was a home maker, now she’s lieutenant governor, and how she was talking about hopefully there will no longer be that glass ceiling (for women). I thought it was inspirational that there are women in these positions in the South, where it’s not, I guess, so much promoted that a women be in charge.”

Taylor Griffin, a sophomore at Judson, said Ivey’s speech was very inspirational to her.

“It was really good,” Griffin said. “I like how she was very real. She seemed like a person who really listens to people and she’s not power hungry. I was really impressed on how she always goes to God before she makes any rational decisions. It was very empowering to see how she holds women’s rights above basic, random things, and how she is a Republican and how she stands for God. It was really empowering.”

Hope Smith, a freshman at Judson, said she liked how much God plays a role in Ivey’s life.

“I liked her speech,” Smith said. “I think it was very inspiring, and I like how she’s for God. I think we need more of that in our governors and stuff like that because I think that’s one of our problems in America, that we don’t have a lot of God left in here anymore.”